I already explained in my other thread the awesomeness that is the Goddamn Gallows. Well yesterday, I got in my car at 5pm, picked my friend up and drove through three hours of traffic to San Diego for one of the greatest nights I've had in a very long time. We arrive at the Shakedown Bar around 8pm to find out nothing has even started yet. I wanted to find James Hunnicutt so I could tell him that I was able to make it out, but couldn't find him. We decided to go get some food at the Taco Bell next door in the mean time. After we ate, I saw James outside the bar and said hi. My friend and I were put on the guest list for making the effort to drive so far for the show and he was showing his appreciation. I thought that was fucking cool of him. I then went in a bought two Goddamn Gallows shirts, a James Hunnicutt cd and a shirt.

Here's where all the fun began. After putting the merch back in my car, my friend and I walked back and started talking to James for a bit. We ended up talking about Star Wars for a good 30 minutes and somehow transitioned to how he needs to go visit Legoland the next day. Next thing we know, Mikey Classis from the GDG walks out and interrupts our conversation to tell us the bum standing outside the liquor store next to the bar was jerking off We were all dying of laughter cause it was such a random act to occur 15 feet away from a group of people at a bar.

After this, I went inside and ran into Jayke. He was glad to see that I made it out to the show again. I told him I brought my mandolin down and he told me to meet him out front in about 10 minutes cause he was going to go get his equipment and then show me his custom made mandolin. I met up with him a bit later and we went over to my car. I was really nervous cause he is such a beast on the mandolin and I'm terrible. I know how to play it, but I'm still on the beginner level. Well he looked at my mandolin and told me how it was a great instrument, then shredded on it for a few minutes. I had the biggest fucking grin on my face while I watched the man who inspired me to want to pick up the mandolin play my mandolin! He then handed it back and opened up his case to show me his custom made mandolin. It was such a beautiful instrument!! He jammed on it for a minute or two, then handed it to me and told me to have fun. I didn't believe what was going on. I didn't know what to do. I played the best I could for a minute or two while he talked about how much he loves that mandolin. I handed it back after a minute or so cause it was too much to handle We then went back in to see James perform his solo set.

James played guitar for the Broken Band and plays a few songs here and there the GDG. This was my first time seeing him perform live since he wasn't able to perform at the Viper Room last night. I had actually told him at the Viper Room that Risk the Fall and Good For You, Good Riddance and Goodbye were some of my favorite songs, so he told me he would play them for me in San Diego. I never reminded him about it, but when it came time for the fourth song, he asked me what the two songs were. He then told everyone the next two songs were dedicated to my friend and I for making the long drive down for the show.

Jayke Orvis and the Broken Band went on around 11:15 and played for 45 minutes. That was better than the 30 minutes I got last night. I was really happy to have the set switched up a little and a few of my favorite songs were added to the set including Streets and Empty Bottles. It would've been a perfect set if they played Beating my Head but I'm happy with what I got. I was really surprised by how many people were there to see Jayke. That underground scum americana punk scene is pretty much dead in my area, but everyone in SD was all about it. There were about 50 or so people watching his set. There were a lot of people moving around and singing along, so that made the show so much better than last night. The strings on James' guitar kept breaking during the show, but he still managed to play the guitar solos without having to stop the song.

The Goddamn Gallows went on at 12:15 and by this time the bar was pretty much filled up. There were over twice as many people in there as there were last night. The second they opened up with Shattered, people were pushing others around and singing along. The vibe throughout the whole set was so amazing. Everyone just wanted to get rowdy and sing along to their favorite punk/pyschobilly band. At the very end of the set, Fishgutzz took Baby G's drums back out into the crowd and had him play while laying on his back. As I'm watching this, I feel a big wave of heat hit the back of my neck. I quickly look back to see Avery spitting fire out of his mouth!! That's fucking metal right there!!

In the end, this was one of the greatest nights I've had in a while and won't ever forget this show. I said my goodbyes to James and Jayke and went home. I didn't get home until 3:30am. Completely worth it.